Overview of the City of Plano

Plano, with a 2019 population of 281,566, is a prosperous place. In 2016, the City was named the 3rd 'Best Place to Live in America,' by Money Magazine. J.C. Penney, Pizza Hut, Frito-Lay, and Toyota Motor North America are all headquartered in Plano. Several technology giants have major R&D operations here including Ericsson, McAfee, CA, Intuit and Nokia. These companies attract highly skilled workers from throughout the US and abroad.

Plano, unlike other affluent locations, is affordable. It has low taxes, housing prices and unemployment compared to most metros in the U.S. The Plano Independent School District is nationally regarded and provides an education comparable in quality to many top private schools.

The Early Years Before settlement, the area was Blackland Prairie covered horizon to horizon by tall grasses, wildflowers and grazing herds of bison. In the 1840s, the first settlers came to Plano to take advantage of land grants. Plano remained a small rural farming community throughout most of its early history. The arrival of the Houston and Texas Central Railway in 1872 linked the town to Dallas and Houston and new markets. Subsistence farming transitioned to large cotton farms and cattle ranches. More

Corporations Relocate to Plano In the early 1980’s, EDS founder Ross Perot sought a new home for his company. He purchased 2,700 acres in Plano and created Legacy business park. In 1985, EDS moved to Legacy. That same year, after discussions with EDS customer and potato chip mogul Herman Lay, Frito-Lay located its headquarters there. In 1987, JCPenney announced that it would move its corporate headquarters from New York to Plano. The announcement brought considerable national attention to Plano and signaled that Plano was a prime business location. More